Seinfeld

Sort of feels like this is a story about nothing - just our life as is unfolds.

10 days here have been filled with the bank, ICE for changes to the cell service, some legal stuff with the property taxes, and getting the Riteve (mechanical certification) on the RHINO.  Then there was the sorting of the media files, hooking up the AV stuff ok and such.

Then there is the catching up with friends - Jan and Sonya came by, as did Keith and Karen.  We went to Dean and Michelle's for a glass of wine, and Sebastian invited us for fish dinner (trying to keep his sanity as he is with Mila while Liz and Nolan are in Toronto).

Yesterday we went for a quad ride with Dean and Michelle - this is my first.  Yes I have driven the RHINO around the village, but this was up into the mountain to Pejibaye (a little town in the middle of the mountains).  A beautiful day (the first without rain) but the road was little more than a track, and there are many folks living up there - Ticos on farms and in little clusters of homes, and ex-pats with gated compounds.  Huge tracts of mud and ruts - steep and rocky and slippery.  It was great fun.

You drive a bit - stop and see the vista or a waterfall or interesting vegetation then drive some more.

Pejibaye is a real town - a soccer field, school, many businesses and restaurants, a supermercado etc.  We ate at the pizzeria - great pizza, thin crispy crust and fresh toppings - very yummy.

Then back - over two ridges and through valleys.  Celebrated a great day with beer at Nani's.

They often do this in large groups (16 or so)  Just the 4 of us was nice for a first time.

Good thing we did that yesterday - it was raining heavy before sunrise, and hasn't stopped all day - dropped in intensity this afternoon, but still like sitting in a cloud.  Is just clearing a bit - a hint of orange on the horizon as the sun sets.

The waterfall at Pavon - there is an egg shaped rock sitting in the middle of the crevice - the tree camp down recently in front of everything - great swimming hole!

 You can see our homes on the left side of the photo - just above the one tree that is sticking up

 great waterfall

 Lisle explaining something

Don't I look butch with my Quad!

Fruits of Our Labor!

One of the great things about life in the tropics is the fresh fruit and your ability to grow it in your backyard.

We have had success with pineapples.  They take forever to grow and you only get one fruit from the plant, but fresh like that is absolutely indescribable.

We also have the forever bearing hot pepper tree.  We actually can't keep up with it.

We have about 15 fruit trees around the property - various citrus, water apple, star fruit, avocado, mango - all planted about 4 years ago, and none with any fruit ever - - - but maybe there is hope - the lemon tree, and another citrus - likely lime - hooray!!!

 

Storm of the Century?

Lisle is in Ojochal at the moment, and we were chatting last night around 5.  He said it was really getting dark and starting to rain - low heavy clouds.

He texted shortly after that the power was out and the winds were crazy.

Something really dramatic happen -

reports of a tornado in the village - trees down all over

People still without power after 24 hours.

Lisle just shared photos of our property.

Giant trees from the valley behind us have crashed onto the lower area of the lot!

We have had trees fall before and the noise is outrageous, but Lisle said the storm was so intense he heard nothing.  He didn't know anything was wrong until he was standing at the kitchen window and thought the treeline looked odd - he went to look and found the mess - - fortunately no damage to the house!

Time for a chainsaw!

TGIF

Well it is Friday - Lisle forgot it was fish day, so no fresh stuff from the fish guy - oh well there's always next week!

Up at 6:30, just after the rain ended - still lots of mist in the mountains - no howlers this morning, but lots of bird chatter.

This morning we planned to meet our new neighbour.  Jeannine dropped by for coffee, tea and fresh banana almond muffins (thank you Lisle - I just don't say that enough!!).  Jeannine and her husband Jean Marc are building the house just up the road.  They have been here with their 2 teen girls learning to live in rural Costa Rica.  The girls go to the public high school in Uvita - the bus picks them up at 5:40 am.  House should be done by Christmas although some are saying March - - they are renting a place a little further up the road.  A really nice way to start the day, learning about her adventures and life - a new relationship!  Next time it will need to be over wine!

Lisle has finished repainting and remounting all the exterior light fixtures.  They were black, but almost white with the sun and salt - look like brand new!

After lunch, Lisle needed to go to town - supplies - a new pool thermometer.  WOW - the rear tire looks really low - it was before and he filled it the other day - - made it to the gas station and then into Uvita to Bridgestone - the guy found the nail in 30 seconds - no problema!  The bill C2,500 - roughly $5.00!  We'll see how it stands up.

Swim in the pool with the new thermometer - cerveza!  Sunset - - dinner - - House of Cards (season 2 is even more manipulative!!)

A Lizard's Tale

So I spent the afternoon on the patio reading while Lisle was working with Christian.  It started to get dark, so in I come to close up the screens and settle in for the evening.

Something moves on the floor - - our first in-home gecko (actually I think it is an Anole, but I wasn't checking credentials).

I tried chasing it out with a broom - stamping at it - throwing a pillow at it - a jumpy little thing that scampers and freezes - impossible to catch and even harder to try and herd out the door

Lisle arrives home and I introduce him to our new occupant - "Did you try ...."  Of course I did but he is a fast little critter.

One might say - why not just leave the little thing be - - well, they make a clucking sound and leave behind droppings that look like thin beads of black caulk!  Not well behaved house guests!!

Lisle's solution?  We'll suck him up with the shop vac!!!!!

Approach slowly and move quickly as he runs from the major sucking machine!!

Some magic wand action and Voila!! Gecko gone!! - - Vacuum goes outside (just in case the sneaky bugger crawls out)

Well actually NO!  45 minutes later, he was sitting on the counter

Another attack with the giant sicking machine over the fruit and vegetables, around the blender and cornered behind the fruit bowl - a few jabs of the wand for good measure and DONE.  I shift all on the counter - no Gecko - all good.  Vacuum back outside. (no photos as he was doing all this in his underwear!)

6 am arrives and I venture down to open up and make coffee.  Something move in the clean dishes drying on the counter - the Gecko leaps from under a bowl and lands on the rim of one of the plastic tumblers.  Slowly I pick up the tumbler and walk it outside - the little thing doesn't move (either injured or traumatized by the events of last evening) - set it on the table come back inside and close the door - I look 10 minutes later and it is gone - a Gecko-Free home once more (or at least none we know of!)